Musical instrument



Sept. 28, 1943. E. v. POWELL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed sept. 12, 1941 2Sheets-Sheet 1 lere Sept. 28, 1943.

E. V. POWELL MUscAL INSTRUMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 12, 1941QQQQQ DE mi mf mf .PI www m.

.mw mi 6.52 QmkwSQzH @EQ2 tbl QQQQNQ .0.38% m2@ Patented Sept. 28, 1943UNITED'v STATES PATENT OFFICE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Edward V. Powell,Scandale, N. Y.

Application September 12, 1941, Serial No. 410,553

(ci. :i4- 384) 11y Claims.

This invention relates to musical instruments and its object is toprovide a simple system of keys and covers for a wind instrument,preferably of the recorder type, to facilitate the playing of a,chromatic scale of a range exceeding an octave, and preferably more thantwo octaves, employing finger manipulations closely similar to the Boehmsystem.

The recorder is an instrument of ancient origin sounded by blowing airthrough a mouthpiece against the edge of an aperture, thereby producinga vibrating air column without the necessity for a reed or special liptechnique to produce tones. Tone variations are produced by a series ofholes, usually 8 in number, which may be iingered to play the diatonicscale in the key in which the instrument is pitched.

Although the ease with which simple pieces can be played on the recorderin the key of the instrument has commended its use by the amateur, alimitation attending its use has been the diiliculty of playing all ofthe accidentale in a chromatic scale with such ease and accuracy as isrequired for playing the instrument readily in all keys. Furthermore,proficiency gained by practice on the ordinary recorder is of littleeducational value in learning to play the standard orchestral Woodwinds,such as comprise the members of the clarinet, saxophone, flute or oboefamilies.

It is the object of my invention to obviate these difficulties and Ihave done so by a simple `system of keys and covers of novelconstruction. It is a feature of my system that, while it is extremelysimple and readily mastered Without arduous practice, yet it involvesthe use of linger movements which are identified with the morecomplicated Boehm system of fingering, so that proiiciency on my novelrecorder is of educational value in learning to play any of the standardorchestral Woodwinds which employ the Boehm system.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is an elevation View of the instrument as viewedfrom the front;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig, 3 is a view of the main portion of the tube of the instrument asthough it were develo-ped laterally, showing the tone holes, keys andcovers;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4 4 of Fig.

in its preferred embodiment is formed of a. tube 50, which has a slightdownward taper (Fig. 2), terminating at its lower end in a small bellL52 and `at its upper end in a mouthpiece 54. The instrument is soundedby blowing air through an opening 5B in the mouthpiece and against Jcheedge 59 of aperture 60. The mouthpiece 54 and aperture`60 are formed asa unitary section 50a of the tube separable from the main section 50hthereof and secured over reduced end 64 of the main section 50h, asindicated in Fig. 2. The instrument may be tuned by working the section50a outwardly or inwardly of the reduced end .54. The foregoingconstruction is typical of the conventional recorder and need not befurther described, as it is Well understood and forms no part of myinvention except as may hereinafter be indicated.

Extending along the front of the instrument is a. series of seven toneholes designated I2, I4, I6, 20, 22, 24 and 28. Assuming for the momentthat these were the only tone holes in the instrument, they are of suchsize and are so spaced from each other lengthwise of the tube that whenthe holes, commencing with all closed, are successively opened from thehole 23 upwardly the diatonic scale in the key of the instrument will beplayed. Thus, closing of all holes I2, I4, I6, 20, 22, 24 and 28 in theseries would produce the note do, or the note C, if that is the key ofthe instrument. If hole 28 only were then opened, the note sounded wouldbe re or D in the key of C; `If holes 28 and 24 only were opened, thenote wouldy be mi or E and so on through the diatonic scale. `The notekdo or C an octave above the note do or C above described would besounded by opening all of the holes in the series. This note may, ofcourse, be considered as either the top note of the lowest octave or thelowest note of the next octave above.

The instrument has an octave key, to be described, operating on the holeI0 (Fig. 3) on the back of the instrument and for the lower notes holeI0is completely closed as later discussed.

Disposed on a line substantially midway between the tone holes 24 and 28is a tone hole 26 which when opened with hole 28 only in the said seriesopen and hole I0 completely closed produces the sharp of the notesounded when hole 28 only in the series is open, or the note ri (Dit inthe scaleof C).

Tone hole 26 is closed by cover |00 iixed to bar |02 secured to pivotshaft; |04 rotatably mounted between opposite bearing posts I06 and |08carried by plate IIO secured as by screws II2 to the tube 50. Cover |00is spring pressed to normally closed position by means of a spring notshown butl which may be of the construction hereinafter described for acover |30. The bar |02 extends beyond the pivot. shaft |04 to terminatein a linger piece I I4 depressed by the little finger of^ the rightAhand to elevate cover |00 against the action of the spring and open tonehole 26 beneath it. In my description of the operation of theinstrument, hole 26 is assumed to be closed unless otherwise indicated.

Disposed on a line substantially midway between holes I6` and 26 is ahole I8 of a size and position to sound the note si (G# in the scale ofC) when it and holes 26, 22, 24 and 28 in the series are open with holesi6, I2, |4 and I6 closed. The tone hole i8 is closed by cover |36mounted on bar |32 fixed to shaft|36 .pivotally mounted between posts|38 and |46 carried on plate |56 secured as by screws |52 to the tube oftheinstrument. As shown in Fig. 4, shaft |36 is hollow and is carried bya solid bearing shaft 36| which extends from a post |62 at the upper endof plate |56, through posts |38 and |40 and into post |62 at the lowerend of the plate. In practice I have secured the internal bearing shaft36| by screw threading it into post |62.

Its opposite end is formed with a slotted head 363.

Cover |66 is normally spring pressed to closed position and in mydescription is assumed to be closed unless otherwise indicated. To holdit closed I have shown in Fig. 4 a spring 364 having one end 365 xed inkpost |33 and its opposite end bearing against lug 366 fixed on shaft |36in a position to rotate shaft |36 and cover'l36 from right to left as`viewed in Fig. 3. Bar |32 extends on the opposite side of shaft |36"and terminates in a linger piece |46 which is depressed by the littlelinger of the leftyhand to raise cover |36 against the action of spring364 and to open tone hole I8. Y

Extending below and in alignment with shaft |36 is a shaft |66 mountedbetweenposts |46 and i62 on bearing shaft 36|. Fixed to shaft E66 at itslower end to rotate therewith is a ring key lll which embraces, withoutcovering, the tone hole 22 and is depressed by the third finger of theright hand in covering the hole 22. Secured to shaft |66 above ring keyll is a cover |12 fitting over hole 26. Cover |'|2 is provided withaperture |74 of a size suicientlysmaller than the tone hole 26 such thatwhen the cover |'|2 is closed on tone hole 26 with aperture |l4 open andholes i2, I4, I6 and 22 in the series and hole |6 closed the notesounded is or F# in the key of C.

Above and in alignment with shaft |36 is a shaft |86 mounted betweenposts |38 and |82 on bearing shaft 36|. Fixed to shaft |86 is cover |64fitting over tone hole I4 and provided with an aperture |86 of a sizesuiciently smallerv than that of tone hole I4 to sound the note te, orA# in the key of C, when cover |64 is closed with aperture |66 open andwhen holes I0, |2-and 26 are also closed.

Ring key H6 and covers |12 and |84 are normally spring pressed to raisedpositions. This may be effected in any conventional manner, as myinvention is not to be limited to any such details of construction, butI have shown in Fig. 4 a spring S66 effective for that purposese curedat one end in the bearing post |62 and pressing at its other end againsta lug 362 fixed to shaft |66 with the tension in the spring exerted torotate shaft |66 from right tov left, as viewed in Fig. 3. A spring 368having one end aihxed to post |82 pressesy against lug 3|!) dependingfrom shaft |86 to rotate the shaft in the direction from right to left,as viewed in Fig. 3, to hold cover |84 in elevated position.

The cover |84 is connected by linkage to ring the tube 56 by screws 268.

-to rotate with it. When bar 662 is raised, its

extremity |9211 presses upwardly on bar |66 so that. when eitherthe-ring key |76 or the cover |72 is depressed, bars |94 and |92 areelevated raising bar hi@ and depressing cover |84.

When the note A or la is played the second nger of the left hand closeshole l2 and the third linger of the left hand depresses cover |84,covering its aperture |86 so that holev I4, like hole |2, is completelyclosed. Such manual depression of cover |84 raises bar i166 to itsdotted line position |96 (Fig. 5) away from bar |62 so that neither ringkey |lll nor cover |12 is depressed when cover |84 is so manuallydepressed.

On the'under side of the instrument is the supplemental hole I6 abovereferred to and assumed to be closed in the foregoing description. Thehole i6 is preferably of the same size as hole |2 and is locateddirectly opposite it on the under side of the'instrument. Indeed, itaffords an alternate fingering for the note do (commencing the nextoctave above) which may be sounded either with each of holes |2, i4, i6,26, 22, 24 and 28'open, as above described (hole Hl being closed) orwith hole |13 open, hole l2 closed and the remaining enumerated holesopen.

Disposed'over the hole lil is a cover 266 prcvided with an aperture 262to reduce the size of hole li! in such an amo-unt that closing of cover266 with aperture 2532 open functions as an octave key.` Thus, withcover 266 closed and aperture 262 open the note re, an octave above thenote re heretofore discussed, is sounded by closing all of the holes inthe series except hole 23, the iingering above described for thenote're.

Cover 262 is formed, as by stamping, on the lower end of a strip 264 ofspring metal which terminates in a T-shaped head 266 secured to Thestrip 244 is normally deflected as indicated in Fig. 2 so as to maintaincover 226 in open position and is formed with a protuberance 2H) whichthe thumb of the left hand may engage to close the cover while leavingits aperture ZEE open. It will be observed that the thumb motion whichthis novel key construction employs for reducing the size of hole liland raising the octave is closely similar to the rocking thumb motionemployed to operate the octave keys of standard orchestral woodwinds.

With the system of keys and covers'constructed -as labove described thechromatic scalemay read ily be played employing fingering indicated inthe chart (Fig. 6). The left hand column shows the holes of theinstrument as above described. Across the to-p of the chart are thevarious half tones of the sol-fa scale and underneath ther:x

- I have shown the corresponding notes in the scale numbers indicatingthe fingers employed. As will ,be apparent, the initials LT designatethe thumb of the left hand and L2, L3, L4, and L5, the sec'- ond, third,fourth and fifth fingersof the left hand. Similarly, R2, R3, R4, and R5designate the second, third, fourth and fifth fingers of the right hand.The thumb of the right hand is not used 'for key manipulation but isemployed to hold the instrument. It is believed that the chart isself-explanatory, particularly when read with the foregoing description,and that the iingering for any of the notes of the chromatic scaleincluding more than two octaves will be readily apparent to the manskilled in the art.

The fingering for lower C# requires apartial closing of hole 28. withthe fifth finger of the right hand. For the purposes of the presentinvention, the chromatic scale may be considered as beginning at thenote re, or D.

Although I have shown only a little more than two octaves inthe chart,it is to be understood that the instrument will play higher notesutilizing cross lingering common to the flute, clarinet, conventionalrecorder and the like, depending upon the dimensions of the bore of thetube 50.

It will be apparent from the chart that the fingering, for which mynovel system of keys and covers is adapted, is closely analogous to theBoehm system of iingering used on professional woodwind instruments. Thesimilarity in the operation of the octave key has been discussed above.The fingering for playing notes ri, si and te, as well as the alternatelingering for the upper note do in the lower octave, is also substantially like that of the Boehm system, al-

though the keys and covers which I have provided to accommodate thattype of fingering yare remarkably simple in construction and operation.The remaining accidental, di or C# in the second octave is fingered in amanner similar to that of Boehm ute fingering for that note. inventionis not, however, to bey limited to the use of such lingering, as it canreadily be varied to suit individual tastes. As one example of suchvariation, the iingering for the note te can employ depression of ringkey |10 with the third iingerof the right hand rather than depression ofkey |12 with the secondnger of the right hand-or both fingers may bedepressed if desired. v

My invention is not limited to any of the details above described except'as required by the appended claims, and where I have disclosed a springpressed or kmanually operable key or cover of specific form, it is, ofcourse, within the spirit of my invention to substitute another kfrom ifdesired. If desired, the instrument could be constructed formechanically playing the lower note C# by the provision of an aperturedcover for partially closing the tone hole 28.

I claim: n

l. A tubular wind instrument having a series 'of seven tone holes sosized and spaced from each other lengthwise of the tube of theinstrument as to sound a diatonic scale in a predetermined octavecomprising the note do sounded when all the holes in said series areclosed and re, mi, fa, 501,712., ti and do sounded in progression byopening the lowest one to seven holes in said series respectively, twoadditional tone holes, one of such size and'so positioned as to soundthe note ri when it and the lowest hole only in said series are opened,and the other of such size and so positioned as t0 sound the note siwhen it and the lowest four holes only in said series are opened, aspring pressed, manually openable cover for each. of said additionaltone holesadapted to maintain the same normally closed, a cover for theIourthlowest hole in said series having an aperture of a size to soundthe note fi when, with said aperture open, said cover, all of the holesin said series above said fourth lowest hole and one of the lowest threeholes in said series are closed, mechanism for automatically closing thecover for said fourth lowest holel leaving its said aperture open, whensaid one rof said lowest three holes is manually closed comprising amember depressed by the linger in closing said one of said lowest threeholes and linkage con.- necting said member and said cover for saidfourth lowest hole to close it when said member is depressed, a coverfor the sixth lowest hole in said series having an aperture of a size tosound the note te when, with said aperture open, said cover, theuppermost hole in said series and a hole in said series below said sixthlowest hole are closed, mechanism for automatically closing the coverfor said sixth lowest hole, leaving its said aperture open, when saidhole in said series below said sixth lowest hole is manually closedcomprising a member depressed by the finger in closing said hole in saidseries below said sixth lowest holeand linkage connecting said memberand said cover for said sixth lowest hole for closing said cover whensaid member is depressed.

2. A tubular wind instrument having a series of seven tone holes sosized and spaced from each other lengthwise of the tube of theinstrument as to sound a diatonic scale in a predetermined octavecomprising the note do sounded when all the holes in said series areclosed and re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti and do sounded in progression byopening the lowest one to seven holes in said series respectively, and asupplemental tone hole disposed on theopposite side of the tube from theholes constituting said series and of a size and position to sound theupper `note do of said diatonic scale in said predetermined octave whensaid supplemental hole is open and the uppermost hole only in saidseries is closed and to sound the note di in the octave above saidpredetermined octave when said supplemental hole and all of the holes insaid series are open.

3. A tubular wind instrument having a series of seven tone holes sosized and spaced from each other lengthwise of the tube of theinstrument as to sound a diatonic scale in a predetermined octavecomprising the note do sounded when all the holes in said series areclosed and re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti and do sounded in progression byopening the lowest one 'to seven holes in said series respectively, asupplemental tone hole disposed on the opposite side of the tube fromthe holes constituting said series and of a size and position to soundthe upper note do of said diatonic scale in said predetermined octavewhen said supplemental hole is open and the uppermost hole only in saidseries is closed and to sound the note di in the octave above saidpredetermined octave when said supplemental hole and all of the holes insaid series are open, and a. cover for said supplemental hole having anaperture of a size such that when employing the fingering for the notesre, ri, mi, fa, fi, sol, si, laandvte in said predetermined octave,those notes are raised an octave above said predetermined octave byclosing said cover leaving said aperture open during such fingering.

4. A tubular wind instrument having a series of seven tone holes sosized and spaced from each other lengthwise of the tube of theinstrument as to sound a diatonic scale in a predetermined octavecomprising-the note do sounded when all the holes in said series areclosed and re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti and do sounded in progression byopening the lowest one to seven holes in said series respectively,apertures for sounding theintervening chromatics ri, fi, si and te, asupplemental tone hole disposed on the opposite side of the tube fromthe holes constituting saidseries and of a size and position to soundthe upper note do of said diatonic'scale in saidv predetermined octavewhen said supplemental hole is open and the uppermost note only in saidseries is closed and to sound the note di in the octave above saidpredetermined octave when said supplemental hole and all of the holes insaid series are open, and a cover for said supplemental hole having anaperture of a size such that when employing the iingering for thenotesre, ri, mi, fa, fi, sol, si, la and te in said predeterminedoctave, those notes are raised an octave above said predetermined octaveby closing said cover leaving said aperture open during such fingering,the said cover beingcarried at one end of a strip of metal secured tothe tube above said supplemental hole and being normally retracted toopen position, said strip having a portion engageable by the thumbof theleft hand to close the cover when the thumb is rocked upwardly on saidprotuberance.

5. A tubular wind instrument having a series of at least seven toneholes so sized and spaced from each other lengthwise of the instrumentas to sound a diatonic scale comprising the notes do, re, mi, fa, sol,la, ti and do when the holes are fingered, a cover for the fourth lowesthole in said series having an aperture of a size to sound the note fiwhen,rwith said aperture open, said cover and all of the holes in saidseries above said fourth lowest hole are closed, and mechaof at leastseven tone holes so sized and spaced from each other lengthwise of theinstrument as to sound a diatonic scale comprising the notes do, re, mi,a, sol, la, ti and do when theholes are nngered, a cover for the fourthlowest hole in said series having an aperture of a size to sound thenote fi when, with said aperture yopen,

said cover, all of the holes in said series above said fourth lowesthole and one of the lowest three holes in said series are closed, andmechanism for automatically closing said cover leaving its said apertureopen when said one of said lowest three holes is manually closed,comprising a `member depressed by the iinger in closing said one of saidlowest three holes and linkage connecting said member and said cover forsaid fourth lowest hole to close said cover when said member isdepressed.

7. A tubular wind instrument having a series of at least seven toneholes so sized and spaced from each other lengthwise of the instrumentas to sound a diatonic scale comprising the notes do, re, mi, ra, sol,la, ti and do when the holes are fingered, a cover for the sixth lowesthole in said series having an aperture of a size to sound the note tewhen, with said aperture open, said cover, the uppermost hole in saidseries and a hole in said series below said sixth lowest hole areclosed, and mechanism for automaticalliT closing the cover for saidsixth lowest hole, leaving its Vsaid aperture open, ,when said hole insaid series below said sixth lowest hole is manually.closedcomprising amember depressed by the ringer in Yclosing'said hole in said seriesbelow said sixth lowest hole and linkage connecting said member'andsaidV cover for closing said cover when said member is depressed.

8. A tubular windinstrument having a series of tone holeswhich areopened to play different notes, a cover for one `of said tone holes,means holding said cover normally open, manually operated means Yforclosing said cover, and `an-aperture in said cover or a size such thatthe closing of said cover .tdth said aperture open Sharps the notesounded by completely closing the tone hole under said cover.

9. A tubular wind Vinstrument having a series of at least seven toneholes so sized and spaced from each other lengthwise of the instrumentas to sound a diatonic scale comprising the notes do, re, mi, fa, sol,la, ti and do including a predetermined note sounded when one of saidtone holes in said series and all those above it in the series areclosed, a cover for said tone hole having an aperture of a size to sounda note a fraction of a tone higher than said predetermined note when,with said aperture open, said cover and all of the holes insaid seriesabove said hole are closed, and operating mechanism for closing saidcover comprising means connected to said cover and extending to thevicinity of a tone hole lower in said series.

l0. A tubular wind instrument having a series of at least seven toneholes so sized and spaced from each other lengthwise of the instrumentas to sound a diatonic scale comprising the notes do, re, mi, fa, sol,la, t and do when the holes are nngered, a cover for the sixth lowesthole in said series having an aperture of a size to sound the note tewhen, with said aperture open, said cover and the uppermost hole in saidseries are closed, and mechanism for automatically closing the cover forsaid sixth lowest hole, leaving its said aperture open, comprising amember depressed by the finger and linkage connecting said member andsaid cover for closing said cover when said member is depressed.

ll. A tubular wind instrument having a series of tone holes which areopened to play diiierent notes, a cover for one of said tone holes,means holding said cover normally open, manually operated means forclosing said cover automatically when another tone hole below said firsttone hole is closed, said means comprising a member depressed by theringer in closing said other hole and linkage connecting said memberandy said cover for closing said cover when said member is depressed,and an aperture in said cover of a size such that theclosing of .saidcover with said aperture open and -the closing of said other hole sharpsthe note sounded by completely closing the tone hole under said cover.

EDWARD V. POWELL.

